KUAJOK – At least 40 head of cattle were stolen by suspected cattle raiders in Wun-Kur Village of Turalei Payam, Twic County, Warrap State, during a nighttime raid on Monday, residents and authorities have confirmed.
According to cattle owners, the animals were taken at around 3:00 a.m. after unknown raiders untied them from their pegs and drove them away while residents were asleep.
One of the affected cattle owners, Yar Ngong, told Mayardit FM in Turalei that the stolen animals had recently returned from swampy grazing areas where they had been kept during the dry season.
She explained that the cattle were brought home and tied in a farm to provide manure when the raid occurred.
“What happened on Monday night around 3:00 a.m. is that the cattle were kept in the farm after they returned from the grazing areas with greener pastures. We tied them there for manure, but during the night, raiders came and took them away,” Ngong said.
She added that the stolen livestock included 36 cows and four bulls.
“The cattle were tied with ropes and pegs. While people were asleep, the raiders untied them and drove them away,” she said.
Ngong said local youth have launched efforts to track down the animals, but no information has yet emerged regarding their whereabouts.
Turalei Police Station Inspector Joseph Mayen confirmed the incident, describing it as unusual given that the raid was carried out without alerting nearby residents.
“We have recorded the incident and are working hard to ensure that authorities in neighbouring areas are notified so that the cattle can be recovered peacefully, as has happened in some previous cases,” Mayen said.
He urged residents, particularly those living near conflict-prone border areas, to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security authorities.
“People should stay alert and closely monitor their animals, as livestock theft is one of the main causes of conflict in these areas. They should also inform local authorities immediately whenever such incidents occur,” he said.
The latest theft comes amid ongoing insecurity and cattle-related conflicts in parts of the Greater Warrap region and neighbouring areas. Peace advocates have continued to call on communities to embrace peaceful coexistence and avoid retaliatory violence, warning that such confrontations often result in further loss of life and property.
It remains unclear whether recent directives from President Salva Kiir during his tour of the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region will lead to strengthened enforcement of security measures, including the state of emergency regulations previously introduced to curb insecurity and cattle raiding.
